U.S. Soccer Wire: April 6, 2009

NewsApr 6, 2009

U.S. MEN’S NATIONAL TEAM LEARNS OPPONENTS FOR 2009 CONCACAF GOLD CUP; U.S. UNDER-20 MNT DRAWN INTO GROUP C OF 2009 FIFA U-20 WORLD CUP

U.S. TO FACE GRENADA, HONDURAS AND HAITI IN GROUP B: The United States will kick off its Gold Cup title defense against Grenada, Honduras and Haiti after being drawn into Group B of the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup. The U.S. will first take on Grenada on July 4 at 6 p.m. PT at Qwest Field in Seattle. The team then crosses the country to face Honduras on July 8 at 9 p.m. ET at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C., before rounding out group play against Haiti on July 11 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass., with kickoff slated for 7 p.m. ET. The U.S. has never lost a match in Gold Cup group play, holding a 21-0-1 lifetime record. The U.S. is seeking to become the second team to win three consecutive Gold Cups, having claimed the crown in 2005 and 2007. Prior to the Gold Cup opener in Seattle, the U.S. will be coming off a stretch of at least five games in the previous 31 days. The U.S. plays at Costa Rica on June 3 in FIFA World Cup qualifying, before returning home to host Honduras in Chicago on June 6. Then the U.S. heads to South Africa for the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup – a tournament for which the U.S. qualified as 2007 Gold Cup champions – for matches against Italy, Brazil and Egypt in the group stage.

U.S. U-20 MNT DRAWN WITH GERMANY, CAMEROON AND KOREA REPUBLIC FOR 2009 FIFA U-20 WORLD CUP: The U.S. Under-20 Men’s National Team has been drawn into Group C alongside Germany, Cameroon and Korea Republic for the 2009 FIFA Under-20 World Cup in Egypt, which will take place from Sept. 24-Oct. 16. The U.S. will open against Germany on Sept. 26 at 4 p.m. local time (10 a.m. ET), before facing Cameroon on Sept. 29 at 6:45 p.m. local time (12:45 p.m. ET) and rounding out group play against Korea Republic on Oct. 2 at 6:45 p.m. local time (12:45 p.m. ET). All three of the USA’s group matches will be played at the brand-new Mubarak Stadium in Suez. Every U.S. match at the FIFA U-20 World Cup can be followed live via ussoccer.com’s MatchTracker. The field of 24 teams is broken up into six groups of four teams each, with the top two finishers in each group, plus the four best third-place finishers, advancing to the Round of 16. The 52-match tournament will take place across seven venues in five cities in northwestern Egypt: Alexandria, Cairo, Ismailia, Port Said and Suez. The 74,000-seat Cairo International Stadium will host both semifinals on October 13, and the third-place game and final on October 16.

U.S. U-20 MNT 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup Group C Schedule

Date

Opponent

Time (Local/ET)

Venue

Sept. 26

Germany

4 p.m. / 10 a.m.

Mubarak Stadium; Suez

Sept. 29

Cameroon

6:45 p.m. / 12:45 p.m.

Mubarak Stadium; Suez

Oct. 2

Korea Republic

6:45 p.m. / 12:45 p.m.

Mubarak Stadium; Suez

– U.S. YOUTH NATIONAL TEAMS UPDATE –

U.S. U-23 WOMEN’S NATIONAL TEAM TRAVELS TO PORTLAND; WILL FACE PILOTS, BEAVERS AND HUSKIES: The U.S. Under-23 Women’s National Team will come together for a training camp in Portland, Ore., from April 11-19 that will feature a match against the University of Portland Pilots on April 18 at 7 p.m. PT at Merlo Field. Tickets are on sale through all Ticketmaster outlets, online at www.ticketmaster.com or over the phone at 1-800-745-3000. Tickets will also be available in person at the Pilot Box Office Monday-Friday, 11 a.m.–5 p.m. PT. Ticket prices range from $7-12 for adults and $5-12 for youths. Group packages of 10 or more are available at $5 per ticket (General Admission only). Admission is free for all UP students. Prior to the match with the Pilots, the U-23s will play two matches against other college teams, taking on Oregon State on March 14 in Corvallis at 7 p.m. and the University of Washington on March 16 at the Nike World Headquarters in Beaverton at a time TBD. The U.S. U-23 women are coached by Bill Irwin, who is Portland’s Director of Soccer and men’s head coach. With this year’s Nordic Cup cancelled, Irwin is preparing the players for a potential European tour this summer. Irwin led the U-23s to its second consecutive Nordic Cup title in 2008 and its 10th in the last 12 years. Irwin’s strong roster for this training camp features four players from the U.S. team that won FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup last year in Chile, including stand-out goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher, defenders Lauren Fowlkes and Nikki Marshall, who both played well in the center of the U.S. defense, and forward Alex Morgan, who won the Silver Ball and the Bronze Shoe in Chile. Irwin’s roster also includes six-foot goalkeeper Kristin Olsen, who helped lead USC to the NCAA title in 2007, as well as Katie Oakes, sister of former U.S. WNT Player Jill Oakes, and long-time youth national team standout Kelley O’Hara.

MATKOVICH TO HOLD 26-PLAYER CAMP FOR U-18 MNT AT THE HOME DEPOT CENTER: U.S. Under-18 Men's National Team head coach Mike Matkovich has called 26 players, all born in 1991, to a domestic training camp at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. from April 18-26. Gale Agbossoumonde and Amobi Okugo were both part of the U.S. U-20 MNT that recently qualified for the FIFA U-20 World Cup with a second place finish in the CONCACAF Championship in Trinidad & Tobago. Including that duo, nine players on the roster were part of the U-17 Men's National Team Residency Program, including 2007 FIFA U-17 World Cup veterans Gregory Garza and Kofi Sarkodie. Garza, currently part of Sporting Clube de Portugal's youth system, is also the only European-based player on the roster. Matkovich's group includes 17 players who are currently part of U.S. Soccer's Development Academy, representing 15 different clubs. Arsenal FC and the Columbus Crew Juniors are the only two clubs to send more than one player with Dion Acoff and Miles Byass, and Chad Barson and Ben Speas, respectively.

U.S. U-18 WNT WILL HOLD APRIL CAMP AT THE HDC: The U.S. Under-18 Women’s National Team gathered for its first training camp of the year on April 4 at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. The U-18 players were also part of a super-camp with the U.S. Under-20 Women’s National Team earlier in the year in San Diego. The U-18s, under the guidance of head coach Dave Chesler, will remain in camp until April 11 and will also scrimmage local college sides as well as the U.S. Under-17 Women’s National Team. The 24-player roster features 16 players born in 1992 and eight players born in 1991. All the players in camp are eligible for the 2010 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Germany, where the age cutoff is Jan. 1, 1990, and all are working towards call-ups to the U.S. U-20s. Three players in camp played significant roles for the USA at the 2008 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in midfielders Elizabeth Eddy and Julia Roberts and forward Samantha Johnson.

U.S. U-17 WOMEN OPEN CAMP AT THE HDC: U.S. Under-17 Women’s National Team head coach Kazbek Tabmi and 24 players convened for a training camp at The Home Depot Center on Sunday, April 5, as early preparations for the 2010 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup continue. Tambi’s squad will be in camp until April 11, at the same time as the U.S. U-18s. The two teams will scrimmage each other on Friday, April 10. The U.S. U-17s will also have another match earlier in the week. Tambi, who lead the USA to second place at the 2008 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in New Zealand, is currently evaluating top players in the country born between 1993-95 in preparation for qualifying for the next U-17 FIFA Women’s World Cup which will be held in Trinidad & Tobago. Players born on or after Jan. 1, 1993 are age-eligible for the next FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.

U.S. U-15 GIRLS’ NATIONAL TEAM HEADS TO TRAINING CAMP AT STANFORD: The U.S. Under-15 Girls’ National Team, under the direction of head coach Mike Dickey, will come together in Palo Alto, Calif. for a training camp from April 11-19 at Stanford University. Dickey is bringing in 24 players, almost all born in 1994 (with one ’95), with this group of players in the very early evaluation stages for possible roles in qualifying for the 2010 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup and the 2012 FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup. This will be the first U-15 training camp of the year, although some of the players invited to Palo Alto, most notably forward Ashley Spivey, defenders Maya Theuer and Haley Washburn, and midfielders Ashley Meier and Makenzy Doniak, were part of the U.S. U-17 Super Camp held earlier this year in Sunrise, Florida. The one player born in 1995 at the camp, defender Miranda Freeman, was also at the Super Camp. The U.S. U-15s will scrimmage two top northern California clubs during the week, taking on the U-18 Pleasanton Rage on Tuesday, April 14 and the U-18 Mustang on Thursday, April 16.

U.S. WOMEN TO HOST JAPAN IN MAY: The U.S. Women’s National Team will face Japan, the 2008 Olympic semifinalists, on Wednesday, May 20, at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas, and Saturday, May 23 at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah. The game in Texas kicks off at 7:30 p.m. CT and fans can follow the action live via ussoccer.com’s MatchTracker. The match in Utah will kick off at 4 p.m. MT and will be broadcast live on Fox Soccer Channel and Fox Sports en Español, with fans also able to follow online via ussoccer.com’s MatchTracker. Tickets for both matches are now on sale and more information is available in the Schedule & Tickets section of ussoccer.com.

TICKETS FOR MNT QUALIFIER AGAINST HONDURAS NOW ON SALE: More than 19,000 tickets have been sold for the U.S. Men’s National Team’s FIFA World Cup qualifier against Honduras on June 6. Kickoff at Soldier Field is set for 7 p.m. CT, and the match will be broadcast live on ESPN Classic and Galavision. Fans can also follow along live on ussoccer.com’s MatchTracker. Tickets are available by visiting ussoccer.com, by phone at 1-800-745-3000 and at all Ticketmaster ticket centers throughout Chicagoland, including Carson Pirie Scott, Hot Tix, FYE and Ritmo Latino stores (Note: Tickets are not sold at Soldier Field except on the day of the event). Groups of 20 or more can obtain an order form at ussoccer.com or call 312-528-1290. Ultimate Fan Tickets (special VIP packages which include a premium ticket, a custom made official U.S. national team jersey with name and number, VIP access to the field before and after the game, and other unique benefits), are also available exclusively through ussoccer.com.

*** CENTER CIRCLE SPOTLIGHT ***

PEAK PERFORMER: The three-time reigning FIFA Women's Player of the Year, Marta, came to Women's Professional Soccer and the Los Angeles Sol amid much fanfare. After going scoreless on national television in her debut match on March 29, the 23-year-old Brazilian, who for her club and country career averages more than one goal per game, scored twice in the Sol's 2-0 win against Sky Blue FC.

MARQUEE MATCHUP: The Champions League returns to both sides of the pond on Tuesday, April 7, and Wednesday, April 8. In Europe, the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals kick off at 2:45 p.m. ET with Manchester United hosting FC Porto and Villarreal hosting Arsenal. On Wednesday, at 2:45 p.m. ET, Bayern Munich travels to face Barcelona and Liverpool welcomes Chelsea in an all-England showdown. Meanwhile, in the semifinals of the CONCACAF Champions League, the Puerto Rico Islanders carry a 2-0 advantage to Mexico, where they will face Cruz Azul at 9 p.m. CT on Tuesday, April 7. Meanwhile, Atlante FC hosts Santos Laguna at 9 p.m. CT, as they look to overcome a 2-1 deficit from the first leg of the series.

SOCCER SHOCKER: Before and after every U.S. MNT vs. Mexico match, the debate about which of the two teams is the "Giant of CONCACAF" is all the rage. Therefore, it is nothing less than shocking that, after three matches in the Final Round of CONCACAF qualifying for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Mexico is the only team that has lost two matches after having fallen to the United States and Honduras on the road. El Tri currently stands in fourth place in the hexagonal table, ahead of Trinidad & Tobago and El Salvador, who have each lost just one match and tied two.

QUOTABLE: "I don't think we have a huge chance in 2018, I think it will probably go to Europe. We will certainly contest for it. ... I think bidding for 2018 will give a great chance for 2022. I'll be 99 years old. So it's sort of an obligation to stay around." -- Former U.S. Secretary of State Henry A. Kissinger, who joined the USA Bid Committee for the 2018/2022 FIFA World Cup.